The present invention relates to a vehicle hitch system adapted to provide both safety and convenience for the user. More particularly, to a trailer hitch and alignment system that adapts to receive, in a guided fashion, the most common, commercially available trailer hitches.
Trailering different loads requires different towing connections between the vehicle and the trailer. These connections differ in both design and in their load capacities. Not all companies can afford to have a separate vehicle dedicated to pulling a trailer with a single hitch. Changing hitches and or adapter plates is time consuming as is the time taken to align the hitch with the trailer to be coupled. Misaligned couplings frequently result in broken or damaged equipment. These can weaken the trailer balls as well causing small crack propagations to begin at the interface at the intersection of the ball and the ball stem. Increasing the size of these balls is not an option as there are industry standards set for these dimensions, generally Class I-V utilize 1⅞″, 2″ and 2 5/16″ diameter balls. Using exotic steels for the construction drives the prices up considerably and increases the chance of theft.
Henceforth, a trailer hitch system that would quickly adapt to receive different purpose hitch devices, allow for the precise alignment of a trailer tongue or pintel hook, and simplify their alignment would fulfill a long felt need in the trailer towing industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this.